Trolley Talk
Fieldwork booklet
You are going to be investigating how sustainable your local stores and
supermarkets are. You are going to collect data in each store or
supermarket on;
1. Packaging of fruit and vegetables
2. Range of UK-grown fruit and vegetables sold
3. Range of recycled products sold
4. Range of eco-friendly products (e.g. Ecover) sold
5. Range of fair trade products sold
6. Checkout bags
7. Recycling facilities at the store
You should make sure that you read the instructions carefully before
completing each table of data clearly, accurately and fully. This will
enable you to draw comparisons between the different stores or
supermarkets and make decisions about which is the most sustainable.
Start by filling in the names of each store or supermarket you are going
to be investigating at the top of each table.
Data Table 1: Packaging of fruit and vegetables
Go into the fruit and vegetable aisle(s) or section of the store. Read each question in the left hand column of the table
carefully. Look around the fruit and vegetable area and decide whether the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Place a tick in the
appropriate column. Do this for each store or supermarket until the table is complete.
Name of store / supermarket
Is there evidence of shrink-wrapping
Clingfilm on cucumbers and /or other
vegetables?
Is there evidence of small packs of fruit
or vegetables in polystyrene trays?
Are you able to buy most fruit and
vegetables loose (not pre-packaged)?
In your opinion, is there evidence of
severe excess packaging in this store?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Data table 2: Range of British-grown fruit and vegetables (air miles)
Stay in the fruit and vegetable aisle(s) or section of the store. Read each question in the left hand column of the table
carefully. Look around the fruit and vegetable area and decide whether the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Place a tick in the
appropriate column. Do this for each store and supermarket until the table is complete.
Name of store / supermarket
Apples
Find the
following
items and
see whether
they’ve
been
produced in
the UK
Potatoes
Leeks
Carrots
Cauliflower
Yes, all varieties
Yes, some varieties
No
Yes, all varieties
Yes, some varieties
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Data table 3: Range of recycled products sold
You need to try and locate the items listed in the left hand column of the table. If you can’t find them, tick ‘no’, and if you
can tick ‘yes’. Then see whether the supermarket also sells its own brand of the product. If it does, also tick ‘own brand
sold’. Complete the information for every store and supermarket you visit.
Name of store / supermarket
Recycled bin bags
No, not sold
Yes, sold
Own brand sold
Recycled toilet
tissue
Recycled kitchen roll
No, not sold
Yes, sold
Own brand sold
No, not sold
Yes, sold
Own brand sold
Data table 4: Range of ‘Ecover’ products sold
You are going to try and locate the ‘Eco-friendly’ products listed in the left-hand column of the table (most will be in the
household / domestic / cleaning area). ‘Ecover’ is a brand of eco-friendly domestic and cleaning products, and is the one
you’re most likely to find. If you can’t find them, tick ‘no’, and if you can tick ‘yes’. Complete the information for every store
/ supermarket you visit.
Name of store / supermarket
Eco-friendly laundry liquid and
/ or powder and / or tablets
Eco-friendly fabric softener
Eco-friendly washing up liquid
Eco-friendly dishwasher
tablets and / or rinse aid
Eco-friendly surface cleaner
Eco-friendly toilet cleaner
Eco-friendly floor soap
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Eco-friendly shower gel
Eco-friendly hand soap
Yes
No
Yes
No
Data table 5: Range of Fairtrade products sold
You will have to do a bit of searching to find the products listed in the left hand column. You must look for the Fairtrade
symbol, which look like this:
(image from www.fairtrade.org.uk).
Tick ‘yes’ if you find the Fairtrade item, and ‘no’ if you don’t. If the store / supermarket produces its own-brand Fairtrade
version of the item, tick ‘own brand sold’.
Name of store / supermarket
Coffee
Tea
Hot chocolate / cocoa
Chocolate bars
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Yes
Sugar
Wine
Bananas
No
Own brand sold
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Yes
No
Own brand sold
Data Table 6: Checkout bags
Go to the checkout and have a look at the bag options available. Complete the following table by answering the questions
in the left hand column for each store / supermarket you go to.
Name of store / supermarket
Are the carrier bags made from
recycled plastic?
Are the carrier bags recyclable?
Are the carrier bags bio-degradable?
Are there ‘bags for life’ (strong, reusable bags)
Is the use of these bags being
promoted? (e.g. through signs)
Are there incentives for customers to
use less plastic bags?
Is there a carrier bag recycling point
for customers to return their bags?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Data Table 7: Recycling facilities
You need to find the recycling facilities at the store / supermarket, if they have any. These are usually located in the car
park, although there may be a ‘station’ for recycling of their shopping bags in-store. Fill in the table by placing a tick next to
the items / materials which can be recycled.
Name of store / supermarket
Item
Paper
Glass
Cans
Clothes
Plastic
Cartons
Books